Warm Home Discount

Dear All

Please see the advice below from the Citizens Advice Bureau – this is different from the winter fuel allowance. Please do pass on to anyone you think may benefit and might not be on email or Nextdoor. Many thanks. Sue

People who have difficulty paying their energy bills might be able to take advantage of the Warm Home Discount, a new kind of grant offered by the government and energy suppliers.

The Warm Home Discount is a scheme that provides people on low incomes with a single discount of £140 on their winter electricity bill. (You might be able to get the discount applied to your gas bill instead – contact your supplier to find out.)

The discount will not affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.

Not all energy suppliers are part of the scheme. You can contact your supplier to see if they offer the discount. (If the supplier doesn’t, you might want to switch to a supplier that does.)

Most people who are eligible will receive the discount automatically, without having to apply. This will be the case if, on 8 July 2018:

– They were with an energy supplier that is part of the scheme; and

– They were receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit; and

– Their name (or their partner’s name) was on the bill.

If you don’t receive the discount automatically, you might be eligible if you have a low income and receive certain means-tested benefits. Bear in mind that energy suppliers could have different eligibility rules.

Applications for the discount open at different times for each supplier and people who are not auto-enrolled need to apply as soon as possible to improve their chances.

Further details are available from https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

Citizens Advice can help. Contact us in person during opening hours or on the telephone (Adviceline 03 444 111444). For locations of offices and opening hours see www.citizensadvice.org.uk/local/oxfordshire-south-vale